Along the Road
by BlackbAngeL
Summary: It's not their time... yet. BA, angsty, post NFA.


**Disclaimer:** Joss Whedon, once a genius, always a pain. He's the guy who owns them.

**Author:** BlackbAngeL

**Rating:** PG-15, I guess, for angst and implied sex

**Summary:** Post NFA (again). It's not their time… yet. B/A, what else? Angsty.

**Note:** Sorry for any grammar mistakes, but I'm still a poor French girl in need of a beta…

o o o o o o o

_Los Angeles, 2004_

His voice is sharp when he talks to her after the battle. There's a cold and distant look in his eyes when he tells her about Hellgods, prophecies, and death… And when he forces her to leave.

She doesn't understand, but doesn't ask for any explanation. She doesn't really want to know…

She leaves without looking back, and misses the pained look in his eyes when she doesn't insist on staying, like he thought she would.

He doesn't run after her, and never sees the tears she's trying to hide, because she thought he would.

o o o o o o o

_Buenos Aires, 2005_

It's been a year, but the bitter memory is still fresh in their minds.

They never thought they would see each other again. But they don't take the time to talk; there's an apocalypse to prevent, and five thousand persons to save.

That's what their lives are, now. The world will never be the same, not after what happened in L.A, and they know it.

Now, they just have to learn to live with it.

He doesn't say a word, and neither does she. They fight side by side, a deadly weapon against the armies of Hell.

They win… and they leave.

Both trying not to think that neither of them has ever said goodbye.

o o o o o o o

_Somewhere in Thailand__, 2006_

She almost expected to see him here. Another year has passed, and sometimes she finds herself wondering where he is, and if he's still alive.

Even if she knows he is.

He sees her before the battle, another dimensional disturbance that needs to be fixed, and smiles.

They win again, but this time, they decide not to leave without talking. She learns about his fights, he vaguely hears about hers… They laugh, they drink, and they end up making love in her motel room, desperate in their need for comfort and warmth, and for each other. She doesn't hold her tears when he tenderly touches her face, keeping his gaze locked with hers as he slowly moves inside of her…

He waits until she's asleep to let his own fall.

When she wakes up the next morning, he's gone. She just smiles sadly, somehow she'd known it would happen, and leaves.

It's not their time yet.

o o o o o o o

_Canberra, 200__7_

That battle is the worst they've ever had to face. She doesn't think she's going to make it through, but keeps on fighting, thinking about her friends, her sister… anything to ground her to the world. It would be so easy to let go…

She swings her scythe around her, determined to take as many demons as possible with her if she falls.

She barely feels it when she's stabbed in the back. As the world around her starts to fade away, she thinks about a time when she would have welcomed that peace. Now, she's not so sure… The last thing she hears before falling into oblivion is an enraged roar, and she catches a glimpse of a broadsword and a pair of amber eyes…

When she wakes up a few days later, Dawn is sleeping beside her hospital bed, engulfed in an oversized leather coat, and there's a red rose on her nightstand.

Maybe someday…

o o o o o o o

_Paris, 2008_

She's walking down a street, lost in her own thoughts, when she feels that familiar tingle running down her spine. She's not surprised, it's been almost a year after all… She waits for him to come to her, half hoping he would just go away. She can't handle that pain on top of everything else.

He joins her in a pub, sitting beside her at the bar. They don't talk for a few minutes, and then she tells him about Tokyo, and what happened to Dawn… her sister was killed by a thief. Not even a demon, not during an apocalypse… She just died alone in an alley, and was found two days later by a tourist.

He takes her hand in his, attempting to give her some comfort. She doesn't pull away, and leans against his shoulder…

He tells her about a prophecy, and about being human. About realizing what he wanted, and needed the most…

She closes her eyes, and throws her arms around his neck. He tells her he loves her. She cries.

They're finally home.

o o o o o o o

_New York, 2012 _

She still doesn't really believe it. The last four years have been like heaven, even in their destroyed world… They got married after a few months, and have kept on fighting the good fight ever since, travelling together, doing their best to get rid of the demons that had slowly invaded the dimension…

They've been in love, and finally allowed to live their feelings.

She can't find the words to express how grateful she is for that happiness.

She just wishes it would have lasted longer…

She clutches her hands on her swollen belly as she watches his body slowly burning. She's expecting their first child, a girl.

He was killed a few days ago, and died as a hero. She'd told him not to go, but he'd insisted that everything would be okay, it was just a couple of demons. He hadn't expected that it would be a nest, and that there would be a few dozens of people ready to be sacrificed.

Life is unfair, she has always known that.

She just didn't know how much.

o o o o o o o

The end.

Reviews? Anybody? ;)


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